China's Small-town Swots: Dreams of Upward Mobility Crushed by Degree Devaluation in a VUCA World

With the economy's development, education reform has begun to advance in recent years. Most people look down upon test-based education, and everyone is pushing for the development of quality education. As a result, quality education requires children to develop in all aspects, the pressure on parents is increasing, and it is no longer difficult for people with low incomes to produce noble children. It has led to the emergence of a community of small-town swots who are overwhelmed by the vast gap between ideal and reality. This paper analyzes the causes of inequality and the corresponding government's future policy responses to the dependence on traditional academic paths in China's small towns.